Note 13 — Chapter II
Reading edition
COMPARATIVE WAGES PAID WORKERS.
Description of Workers. Wages per day of 11½ hours. England. Wages per day of 11½ hours. Belfast. Wages per day of 11 hours. Ghent.
Average. Average. Average.
s. d. s. d. d. s. d.
Spreaders 1 3 to 1 6 10 0 11¾
First Drawing 1 0 1 3 8½ 0 8½
Second Drawing 1 0 1 3 8½ 0 8½
Roving 1 1 1 5 9 0 9¼
Carding 1 0 1 6 7½ to 9½ 0 9¼
Spinner 1 0 1 4 10 0 8½
Doffer 0 8 5½ 0 4¾
Reeler (piece work) 1 0 1 6 10 to 11 0 9¼
Dyer 2 6 3 0 1s. 4d. 1 3
Bundler 2 6 3 0 1s. 5½ 1 5
Hackler (Roughing for Machine) 1s. 6d. 1s. 4d. 1 7
Overlooker 4s. 6d. 3s. 6d. 2 4½
These wages, at present, paying in Ghent, it must be borne in mind, are hardly a fair criterion, as flax spinning being entirely a new trade there, it was necessary to give an inducement by extra wages, for the cotton spinner’s to leave the work to which they were accustomed; but this will soon find its level.